Plum Gouger
It is very common in the valley of the Mississippi, but has not yet been found in the Eastern States. It is said to be less hurtful than the former species, which is fortunate, as its habits render it the more likely to be brought to Europe. In general appearance, it is somewhat like the Plum Curculio, but differs as follows: It is nearly 1/3in. long; the head and wing-cases are brown, with a leaden-grey tint; and the wing-cases are variegated irregularly with black and pale spots, and bear no humps; the thorax and legs are ochre-yellow; and the snout cannot be folded below the breast. The beetles appear in spring. The female bores holes in the young Plums, and pushes an egg into each, but she makes no cuts around them. The larva hatches in a few days, and bores at once to the stone, which it pierces while still soft. The larva feeds, till full grown, on the seed, and then bores a hole for its escape as a beetle; but it remains inside the stone, and there becomes a pupa. The beetle emerges usually in August or September, and hybernates in the perfect state. It feeds, in spring, on young Plums, into which it bores its beak. The plums exude gum, and become knotty and useless. This beetle is also known as Anthonomus prunicida. The remedies recommended are jarring the trees, to shake down the beetles, as with the Plum Curculio, and collecting and destroying fallen fruits. The beetles are active, and take flight readily; hence, jarring is less successful than with the former species.